Fuel dispensing environments have been evolving rapidly with the introduction and development of wireless technology and integrated transaction services. Customers rapidly grew to accept and even demand "pay-at-the-pump" technology wherein a customer did not have to enter the gas station building, but merely had to insert a credit card or debit card into a magnetic card reader on the fuel dispenser. The fuel dispenser was then connected to a remote network, which would secure authorization for the transaction and provide the appropriate cost information to the financial institution so that the account could be properly charged. More advanced units also include cash acceptors which allow a customer to insert cash, in either change or bill form, into the fuel dispenser to pay for the fuel purchased. These cash acceptors work much like conventional vending machines and may provide change. In either situation, a magnetic card reader or a cash acceptor, the customer still had to perform the additional step of interacting with the fuel dispenser to purchase the fuel or other goods and services.
The next improvement on this payment facilitation technology was the concept of wireless transactions. The customer would mount a transponder on a card or, later, a vehicle for identification purposes. Typically, the identification information would be coupled with financial account information, either a credit card account, a debit card account or the like. Two antennas were mounted on the top of the fuel dispenser. The first antenna would "ping" the transponder on the vehicle at a first radio frequency, in effect asking, "who are you?" The transponder in the card or on the vehicle would respond on a different radio frequency, stating, in effect, "I am an authorized user and have money to spend to purchase fuel, please authorize me to purchase fuel." Additional information could also be conveyed. The fuel dispenser would then verify the identification information sent by the transponder, typically over a remote network, and then the fuel transaction would proceed. An example of such an arrangement is seen in the S5000 system sold by the TIRIS division of Texas Instruments.
This communication was implemented by providing a forward link to the transponder by way of an inductive loop transmitting at approximately 134 kHz. This forward link antenna, is typically an oblong coil of wire (about 6 or 7 turns) positioned above the fueling area and more typically over the fuel dispenser. The return link typically operates in the range of 900 MHz and usually requires a second whip antenna. The transmitting loop antennas have a directive pattern that is in the form of lobes radiating out the front and back of the loop. Both antennas must have their radiation patterns situated in a manner that allows both patterns to link with the transponder. In general, the forward link is more important than the return link, since the forward link is a magnetic field, which tends to fall off quicker with distance as is well understood.
The above described arrangement eliminates the need for the customer to perform the step of interacting with the fuel dispenser for the financial part of the transaction, although in the conventional transponder implementation, the transponder had to be brought relatively close to the dispenser to be "pinged." The customer must then merely lift the nozzle, insert it in the gas tank of the vehicle, select the fuel grade, dispense the fuel and then return the nozzle to its cradle. All of the financial transactions are taken care of automatically.
One of the problems with this approach was the need for the antennas on the fuel dispensers. Because this technology is in hot demand, vendors have to retrofit existing fuel dispensers with antennas to perform these functions. The initial solution mounted a loop antenna on the top of the fuel dispenser. While this arrangement performed adequately, these loop antennas were unsightly. Additionally, these antennas directly conflict with existing signage and decoration panels mounted at the top of many existing dispensers.
Thus there remains a need for an antenna which is easily retrofitted onto fuel dispensers already deployed into the field and which is aesthetically appealing and does not conflict with existing advertising signs.